Modern, dynamic and glittering with glass, Seattle’s skyscrapers are pinned to Eliot Bay by a chain of Cascade Mountains. Magnificent views of the bay and a mesmerizing panorama of the city landscape against the background of snow-capped peaks open from the numerous observation platforms of the city. Here you can spend long hours admiring the surroundings. For lovers of sea walks, there is a developed ferry network, through which you can get to the most remote corners of the coast.
Almost all man-made sights belong to the modern era. Tourists can learn about the history of the city in one of the local museums. Seattle’s charm lives in numerous parks, hides among the night lights of skyscrapers and shows itself in all its glory during the magnificent sunsets.
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What to see and where to go in Seattle?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
Space Needle
The tower was built in 1961 in the futuristic googie style that was popular in the USA in the 1950-60s. The opening was timed to coincide with the start of the World’s Fair in Seattle. The length of the structure is 184 meters. At an altitude of 159 meters there is an observation deck and a restaurant “SkyCity”. From here you can see the panorama of the city, Eliot Bay with islands, the Cascade Mountains. Space Needle is capable of withstanding the most powerful hurricane and earthquake of magnitude over 9.
Pike Place Market
Public market, which began its work in 1907. It sells seafood, farm products, local crafts, books, antiques. The market has gained popularity among tourists due to the fact that it is an impromptu stage for performances of street singers, actors, comedians and clowns. Pike Place Market is home to an incredible number of small restaurants.
Fremont Troll
A sculpture located in one of the Seattle areas under the J. Washington Bridge. The figure of a fabulous creature is made of concrete and reinforcement. A whole group of local sculptors worked on it. The reasons for its creation are quite trivial – there used to be a garbage dump under the bridge. To finally get rid of it, it was necessary to occupy the space with something. This is how the Fremont Troll appeared in 1990.
Chewing gum wall
A kind of city landmark, which is a wall pasted over with chewing gum from top to bottom. It all started in 1993, when students queuing up at the theater’s ticket offices, out of boredom, began to glue coins here with chewing gum. Until 1999, the authorities tried to fight this outrage, but then they gave up. Since then, the wall has been considered a tourist attraction.
Safiko Field
Baseball arena equipped with a retractable roof. The stadium is home to the Seattle Mariners. Its stands can accommodate up to 55 thousand spectators. The arena is not only suitable for baseball games, it sometimes hosts American football competitions as well as wrestling performances. The stadium was built in 1999 in the Art Nouveau architectural style.
Century Link Field
Another city stadium, adapted to host competitions in various sports. The Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders football teams play here. The arena was erected in 2002 near Seattle’s business district. Century Link Field Park sometimes hosts concerts and exhibitions. The venue can accommodate up to 72 thousand spectators, depending on the type of event being held.
Seattle Public Library
The city library consists of a whole network of book collections (27 branches in total). The main office is located in an eleven-storey structure made of glass and steel in the style of destructiveism, built by R. Koolhaas in 2004. It can be called one of the most outstanding buildings in the city. The book collection was founded in 1890; today, more than 2.5 million copies are kept in its funds.
Dale Chihuly’s Garden
The American glassblower D. Chihuly has created a huge number of sculptures for 40 years, which are now exhibited in several dozen museums around the world. The Glass Garden in Seattle is one of his most famous projects. It is located in the city center and is an open-air exhibition of the artist’s work. Glass flowers and trees “grow” here, shimmering with all possible colors.
Seattle Aviation Museum
Private museum dedicated to space and aviation. It is located on the territory of the very first Boeing plant. The exposition includes more than 150 aircraft, released at different times, as well as a collection of parts and models of spaceships. The museum was founded in 1956. There are several interactive exhibits here, including the air traffic control center where you can learn about what is happening in the airport control room.
Pop culture museum
The museum exposition will interest music and film lovers. It is divided into thematic sections: music, costume and fantasy. The latter is dedicated to such legendary films as “Alien”, “Star Trek”, “The Fifth Element”, “Star Wars”, “Terminator”. The museum has a lot of interactive exhibits. For example, visitors are invited to play the guitar themselves or make a musical arrangement.
Museum of History and Industry
The collection will tell visitors about Seattle’s history dating back to the late 18th century. The museum is divided into 10 halls, each of which is dedicated to some historical event or process: the industrial boom of the 19th century, the great fire of 1989 and other important incidents. There is a small park next to the museum, where you can walk after the tour.
Seattle Art Museum
The museum was founded on the basis of the Seattle Society of Fine Arts and the Washington Arts Association. In 1933, a monumental Art Deco building designed by C. F. Gould was erected for the collection. Now there is a branch of the museum, and the main exhibition in 1991 moved to Park Avenue. In 2007, another division was opened to the public – the Olympic Sculpture Park.
Benaroya Hall
Concert hall, where the city symphony orchestra performs. It is considered one of the best venues in the world for its excellent acoustic properties and luxurious finishes. Benaroya Hall was built in 1998. Most of the funds for its construction were donated by the philanthropist D. Benaroya. The hall consists of two auditoriums. The large one can accommodate up to 2.5 thousand people, the small one is designed for 500 spectators.
University of Washington
The educational institution was founded in 1861. Today it is one of the largest in the northwestern United States. Among its alumni, eight are Nobel laureates. The university is located in several buildings. Of particular note is the Suzallo Library, which is housed in a neo-Gothic mansion. The structure of the university includes the Burke Museum of Natural History and the Henri Art Gallery.
Columbia Center
The most grandiose city skyscraper, designed by C.L. Lindsay in 1985 (almost 300 meters high). From the outside it seems as if it consists of three towers, in fact it is a single structure. On the 73rd floor of the Columbia Center, there is an observation deck from where you can take spectacular photos. Restaurants, conference rooms and a library are located on the 74th and 75th floors.
Seattle Aquarium
Oceanarium and research center located on the waterfront of Eliot Bay. It opened in 1977 and is visited by about 900 thousand people every year. In the aquarium, you can see many representatives of the marine fauna: exotic fish, fur seals, sea beavers, seals, sharks, as well as birds that live on the shore. There is a souvenir shop and a cafe on the territory of the aquarium.
Seattle’s Big Wheel
The Ferris wheel was built in 2012. Its height reaches 53 meters, which makes the attraction the largest of its kind on the northwest coast. The 42 wheel cabins can accommodate 300 people. One trip includes three full revolutions. This is enough time to take panoramic photos of Seattle and Eliot Bay. A ride on a wheel greatly diversifies the leisure of a tourist.
Ballard Locks
The locks were created to maintain the level of fresh wagons in Lakes Union and Washington. They were built from the middle of the 19th century to the 1920s and 1930s. Tourists come to see how ships pass through the locks, as well as take a walk in the nearby parks and look at sea lions that have chosen the embankments. During the weekend, there are quite a lot of people here and it is difficult to find a place in the parking lot.
Woodland Park Zoo
The menagerie is located in the park of the same name. It covers an impressive area of 37 hectares. In total, the zoo is home to several hundred species, of which 5 are endangered and 35 are threatened with extinction. Inhabitants live in thematic zones with “speaking” names: “African Savannah”, “Vine Trail”, “Elephant Forest”, “Tropical Forest”. Sometimes, due to the large size of the enclosure, the animal is not easy to see.
Kerry Park
A small park with an area of 0.5 hectares, which in 1927 was presented to Seattle by the Kerry couple. One of the main attractions of the place is the observation deck. It has long been chosen by photographers who come here to shoot stunning sunrises and sunsets, as well as a mesmerizing night panorama of the city. The park is no less popular with couples in love and romantically inclined singles.
Gus Works Park
A city park with impressive industrial structures among green lawns and trees. This is a former gasification plant of the early 20th century. Instead of dismantling their old enterprise, the authorities decided to set up a park around it, and leave the buildings as a keepsake for posterity. Today, the plant can be viewed not only from the outside, but also take a fascinating excursion along its empty corridors.
Green lake park
Green Lake is located on the shores of a large lake. Here you can take a walk in good weather, have a picnic on the green lawn, have a barbecue in a special area, or take a boat ride. At any time of the year, the park is full of runners, cyclists and hikers. Near Green Lake is a residential area with small, picturesque houses.
Discovery Park
The largest city park with a vast green area, adjacent to the shores of the bay, and 20 km of footpaths. Despite the magnificent views and the opportunity to observe marine life and birds, reviews about this place are rather contradictory. Some tourists complain about the smell of sewage and suspicious individuals who wander in this park in the evenings.
Alki beach
The beach is located in the west of Seattle on the territory of the peninsula of the same name, exactly in the very place where the first Europeans landed and founded a settlement in the middle of the 19th century. The water here is quite cool, so swimming is not always comfortable, but visitors are provided with an excellent tan and fresh sea air. The beach has restaurants with interesting cuisine and bungalows where you can stay for a few days.
Washington State Ferries
Washington State has the largest ferry fleet in the United States. The network of routes covers the coast like a huge spider web. Interestingly, most of the ferries have Indian names. One of the main tourist attractions in Seattle is a boat trip on one of these ships. You can go on a trip from one of the many terminals located in the city.
